Starting mechanism



Dec. 12, 1933. R. MqNARDONE STARTING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec.

INVENTOR. Romeo M/Vanaone UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,939,406 STARTING MECHANISM Romeo M. Nat-done, East Orange, N. J., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Eclipse Aviation Corporation, East Orange, N. J., a corporation of.

Application December 29, 1931 Serial No. 583,741

23 Claims. (Cl. 74-7) This invention relates to starting mechanism Referring to the drawings and particularly to for internal combustion engines, and particular- Fig. 1, the invention is shown embodied in a ly to engine starters of the type in which starting housing constituted by an inner section 3 and an is effected by transmission of torque to the engine outer section 4 having a suitable flange 5 to re- 5 crankshaft or its equivalent. The invention is ceive bolts 6 for detachably connecting said sec- 50 further applicable to driving mechanisms of gen tions. The inner section 3 is provided with a eral application outside the engine starting art. flange 7 for engagement with a mounting flange An object of the present invention is to provide 8 formed on the engine casing, the fastening novel means whereby driving torque may be transmeans being indicated at 9. Secured within sec- 10 mitted to a member to be driven to cause rotation tion 4 is an electric motor provided with a casing 5 thereof in either direction as desired. 10 having openings to receive screws 12 which may Another object of the invention is to provide an be employed for detachably securing the motor engine starting mechanism embodying novel alto the housing 4. While the construction herein ternative driving connections between the prime disclosed is particularly well suited for application mover and the engaged part of the engine, whereto a mOtO d ve n t ma n h w t 15 to e 70 by said engaged part may be turned over in either understood that the invention embraces the use a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction as deof other driving means, i clu g hand Operated sired. means.

A further object is to provide novel means for When a motor is employed, it may be 0! y supporting and inter-relating the novel altemauitab e t pe inc ud n an a matu e shaft 13 p o- 7 tive driving connections above referred to, wherevided with a laterally projectin du d P n by compactness and symmetry is achieved with 14 that t b y t as y e s 0 a an economy in both space consumed and number u ta bearing n the dividing wall 16 nt rof parts employed. In this connection, a feature Po d w en eas S c s 3 a a y of the invention is the provision of on engine connected to the reduced portion 14 of the armago starter employing apair of engine-engaging memtule Shaft 15 8 pinion meshing With 8 p n bers either of which may be shifted into enginegear 18 which in the form Shown is integral W th en agin position without so shifting th t a shaft 19 one end of which is cut to form a pinion said alternatively applicable engine-engaging 20 and the other end of which is threaded as '0 members being preferably, although not necesindicated at 21 for reception Of a retaining nut 22 5 gar-11y, disposed in nested relatio a i coaxial adapted to hold it from axial displacement withallgnment with the engine member to be engaged. in the ball bearing assemblies 23 and 24, facili- These and other objects and advantages to be tating free I'OtfltiOll Of the shaft 19 in the hub derived from the use of the invention herein dis- 25, h latter constituting a s po t not only for :5 closed will become apparent upon an inspection of the bearings 23 and 24, but 8150 for the a g 90 the following specification, reference being had 15 Previously deseribed- The latter ng is to the accompanying drawings, wherein the prealso provided with a suitable retaining sleeve 27 ferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed. held in place by 8- D ate 29 cured t0 the hub 25 It is to be understood however, that the drawings y Suitable m n The bearing assembly 15 are for the purpose of illustration only and are 8156 engages a Shoulder 31 formed n the hub 25 95 not designed as a definition of the limits of the d the bearing s a t to absorb the thrust invention, reference being had for such purpose the pinion 17 by virtue f t e provision of the to the appended claims. retaining nut 33 thr adedly enga in the motor In the drawings, end 01 the pinion and thus preventing longitudi- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a de- Hal displacement h r of. 1 o vice embodying the invention; The pinion 20 is adapted to mesh with an Fig. 21s a view in elevation of one of the engineinternally toothed gear 36 which has a hub 87 engaging members; provided with teeth 38 so that it constitutes a sun Fig. 3 is a similar elevation view of the other gear for a plurality of planetary gears 39 which engine-engaging member; are rotatably mounted to mesh with an internal Fig. 4 is a schematic representation of the elecgear 40 fixedly secured to the housing by suitatric circuits involved when the device is electrible threaded studs 42, the gear being initially cally actuated; and located by a dowel pin 43 or its equivalent. The.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a porgear 36 and its hub 37 are rotatably mounted as 5 tion of another embodiment of the invention. by means of a bushing 45 on a stub shaft 46, the

' indicated at '1, the member registering frictionally with the correspondingly tapered bore 58 of the pinion 17 for a purpose to be more fully apparent hereinafter.

Integral with the stub shaft 46 is a cylindrical member 60 corresponding to what is termed in the art as a barrel, the said barrel member having a closed end 61 from which the shaft portion 46 projects, and being rotatably mounted in ball bearing assemblies 63 and 64 received in suitable annular recesses formed in the wall of easing 2 its inner end by a counter bore in the plate portion 61 of the barrel. Extending through each sleeve 68 and threaded into the barrel end 61 is a screw 69 adapted to support the corresponding sleeve 68, the bearing 67 and the planetary gear 39. Preferably a retaining ring '10 for the bearings 6'1 is provided, said ring being held in place by the heads of screws 69.

The usual multiple disc clutch is preferably provided in association with the barrel 60 to permit relative rotary movement between the engineengaging member and the train of gearing above described, whereby the latter is protected from damage due to an excessive shock or load. As usual, the disc clutch comprises a plurality of inter-leaving discs 79, alternately splined to the inner surface of the barrel 60 and the outer surface of an internally threaded nut 80. Resilient means, such as a plurality of coiled compression springs 81, the pressure of which is adjustable by a nut 82 threadedly engaging the end 83 of the barrel, are provided for maintaining the discs '19 in frictional engagement with a pressure sufficient to insure transmission of torque up to a predetermined capacity.

The novel means for drivably connecting the nut with the engine crankshaft or its equivalent to rotate the latter in either clockwise or counter-clockwise direction as desired, preferably includes a pair of toothed clutch elements or jaws '14 and '15 disposed in nested relation as indicated in Fig. 1 and either being adapted to move forward into inter-locking relation with a correspondingly toothed clutch element '16 detachably engaged with an integral part of the engine crankshaft, or a member drivably connected therewith. Normally both clutch jaws '14 and '15 occupy a disconnected relation to the engine jaw '16, as indicated in Fig. 1, and the invention includes means for moving a selected one of the nested jaws '14 and '15 forward into engagement with the engine jaw '16 in response to the initial rotary movement of the barrel 60 resulting from the initial energization of the motor 10.

The novel selective driving means includes, in addition to the aforesaid nut 80, a second nut or sleeve 84, the latter being threaded as at 88 on its exterior surface to cooperate with the threads of the nut 80 and being similarly threaded, but with the threads running in the opposite direction, on its interior surface, as indicated at 85, the latter being engageable with corresponding threads 86 on a shaft 8'1 which, as shown, is integral with the inner jaw member '14 and is provided centrally thereof with a bore of rectangular or other angular cross-section. Into this opening extends the reduced end portion 89 of the previously described rod 56, the said portion 89 having an angular cross-section corresponding to that of the bore in the shaft 87. Movement of the shaft 8'1 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, is limited by means of nut 91 threaded to the reduced end 92 of the shaft 8'1, and adapted to engage a shoulder 93 formed interiorly of the sleeve 84. The latter is in turn limited in its movement relative to the nut 80 by the provision of a similar member 95 engageable with shoulder 96 in nut 80.

The starter is preferably provided with oil sealing means for preventing oil in the engine crankcase from seeping into the starter housing.

For this purpose there is fltted over the inner.

end of the starter a cup-shaped member 98 that is preferably formed of metal and is provided with a flange 99 adapted to be clamped between flange '1 of the starter housing and the engine flange 8. The inner portion of member 98 is bent inwardly toward jaw member '15 as at 100, and is provided with a central opening which is slightly larger in diameter than the outer diameter of the jaw member '15. Preferably member 98 is strengthened adjacent said opening by being bent or curved, as at 101.

In order to prevent seepage of oil through the central opening in member 98, the latter preferably carries a washer 102 that may be formed of leather or equivalent material. Normally the inner portion of washer 102 is held in engagement with the adjacent surface of the head of jaw member '15 by means of a sleeve 103 which slidably surrounds the cylindrical portion of the jaw clutch member 75 and abuts at its outer end against a flange 105 provided on nut 80. If desired, a metal ring 106 may be provided to clamp the washer 102 to the cap member'98.

Any suitable means may be employed for controlling the energization of the motor 10 to actuate either the jaw '14 or the jaw '15, depending upon the direction in which it is desired to turn the engine; preferably the control is effected by the provision of a pole changing switch as indicated schematically by reference character 110 in Fig. 4, said switch being adapted to change the polarity of the motor windings by interchanging the blades indicated at 111 and 112. A suitable source of current is indicated at 113 and the field of the motor indicated at 114, while the manually operable switch 115 determines the time of actual energization of the motor by controlling the energization of the solenoid switch 116 of the motor circuit.

In operation, if the engine is to be turned in a clockwise direction, the pole changing switch 110 is appropriately set and the switch 115 closed. The resulting rotation of the armature shaft 13 is transmittedthrough the reduction gearing illustrated, to the barrel 60, the latter rotating in the opposite direction with the particular gear arrangement shown (although this is of course subject to variations). With the barrel 60 thus rotating in a clockwise direction, and nut 84 having an outer left hand thread and an inner right hand thread, the rotation of rod 56 resulting from its being frictionally driven from pinion 17 will produce a corresponding rotation of shaft 8'1, whereupon the said shaft will be threaded rearwardly if not already at its limit as determined by engagement with the closed end 61 of the barrel. At the same time the screw action between the members 84 and 87 will cause jaw 75, which is integral with the nut 84, to move forward into engagement with the engine members 76. Operative connection with the engine being thus established, the continued rotation of the armature shaft is transmitted through the gear train and clutch 79 and jaw 75 to the engine crankshaft. During this cranking, the surface 58 on the pinion 17 slips about the conical surface of the friction member 55. When the engine starts under its own power, the [5 jaw 75 is screwed back to its original position as indicated in Fig. 1. is not immediately de-energized, this jaw has a tendency to remesh, but cannot succeed in doing so due to thecontour of the toothed surface of 0 the jaw elements, as indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

When it is desired to turn over the engine crankshaft in the opposite direction, the connections 111 and 112 are reversed so that when the motor is energized by closure of the switch 116, the resulting rotation of the barrel and nut tends to urge sleeve 84 to the right and at the same time the screw action of threads 85 on threads 86 moves shaft 87 to the left, with the result that the inner jaw 74 is meshed with the jaw 76. On this occasion the portion 92 of the jaw slides along the surface of the rod 89.

Fig. 5 shows'a modified construction wherein the element corresponding to the sleeve 84 of Fig. 1 has splines on its outer surface adapted to coact with corresponding splines in sleeve 180, and the central rod is extended to receive a spring 176 and nut 177 acting to yieldingly oppose outward movement of the clutch members 174 and 175, the construction otherwise being similar. With this revised construction it will be evident that in one direction of rotation the jaw 175 is moved forward by virtue of the engagement of its threads with those of the rotating inner Jaw 174, while in the opposite direction of rotation these threads operate to tend to move the jaw 175 rearwardly; and since such rearward movement is prevented, the reaction of the threads is to cause the inner law 174 to move forward into engagement with the engine member.

The use of the spring 176 has the added advantage that it accs, when stressed by the movement of the inner law into mesh with the engine member, to relieve the friction of the plunger 58 on the member 17. This spring thus constitutes a means for automatically reducing or completely eliminating the frictional relationship of these two members, once the starter has begun to ium over the engine member. This advantage, of course, may also be obtained with the construction shown in Fig. 1 by adding the samefeature at the end of the rod 89 in that embodiment.

While it is obvious from the foregoing that the embodiments herein disclosed possess practical merit, it is to be understood that these embodimens are not exclusive of others which may in-- corporate the novel provisions herein disclosed and claimed, and which will be suggested to persons skilled in the art on an examination of the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings.

It is to be understood therefore that various changes may be made in the construction, arrangement and inter-relation of the parts enter- I ing into the invention without departing from 75 the spirit thereof, the extent of the included vs- However, if the motor riations being ascertainable by reference to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an engine starting mechanism of the type employing a power member in which energy may be developed for transmission to a member of the engine to be started to cause initial rotation thereof, the combination with said power member and engine member of a pair of coaxially disposed clutch elements either of which is engageable with said engine member, means including a threaded portion formed on the external surface of one of said clutch elements for causing said clutch element to move into engagement with the engine member in response to rotation of said power member in one direction, and means including a second threaded portion formed .on the inner surface of said clutch element for shifting the second clutch element into engagement with said engine member in response to rotation of said power member in the opposite direction.

2. In an engine starting mechanism, the combination with a driving member of a pair of nested clutch elements, either of which is engageable with a member of the engine to be started, means for shifting one of said clutch elments into engagement with said engine member in re-- sponse to rota'ion of said driving member in one direction, and means for shifting the other of said elements in response to rotation of said driving member in the opposite direction.

3. In apparatus of the class described, the combina ion of a power member in which energy may be developed for transmission to a driven member, a pair of coaxially disposed clutch elements, either of which is engageable with said driven member, and means for selectively shifting said clutch elements in accordance with the direction of rotation of said power member.

4. In an engine starling mechanism, the combination with a driving member ,of a pair of coaxially disposed clutch elements, either of which is engageable with an engine member, and means for selectively shifting said clutch elements in accordance with the direction of rotation of said 1 driving member, said means comprising cooberating threads of opposite inclinations formed on the peripheral surfaces of said clutch elements.

5. In a mechanism of the type employing a power member in which energy may be developed 135 for transmission to a driven member, the combination with said power member and driven member of a pair of clutch elements either of which is engageable wih said driven member, and means for selectively shifting said clutch elements in accordance with the direction of rotation of said power member, said last named means comprising cooperating threads of opposite in clinations formed on the peripheral surfaces of said clutch elemen's, one of said clutch elements being centrally apertured to receive the other.

6. In an engine starting mechanism of the type employing a power member in which energy may be developed for transmission to a member of the engine to be started o cause initial rotation thereof, the combination with said power-member and engine member of a pair of nested clutch elements either of which is engageable with said engine member, depending upon the direction in which said engine member is to turn, and helical means for selectively ac'uating said elements.

7. In an engine starting mechanism of the type employing a power member in which energy may be developed for transmission to a member of the engine to be started to cause initial rotation thereof, the combination with said power member and engine member of a pair of coaxially disposed clutch elements, either of which is engageable with said engine member, means for selectively shifting said clutch elements in accordance with the direction of rotation of said power member, said last named means comprising cooperating threads of opposite inclinations formed on the peripheral surfaces of said clutch elements, and a second internally threaded element surrounding 'one of said clutch elements and cooperating with the thread thereon.

8. In an engine starting mechanism of the type employing a power member in which energy may be developed for transmission to a member of the engine to be started to cause initial rotation thereof, the combination with said power member and engine member of a pair of clutch elements either of which is engageable with said engine member, and means for selectively shifting said clutch elements in accordance with the direction of rotation of said power member, said last named means comprising cooperating threaded elements operative to tend to shift said clutch elements longitudinally in opposite directions in response to rotation of said power member.

9. In a driving mechanism, the combination with driving and driven members of a pair of coaxially disposed clutch elements either of which is engageable with said driven member, and means for selectively shifting said clutch elements in accordance with the direction of rotation of said driving member, said last named means comprising cooperating threads of opposite inclinations formed on the peripheral surfaces of said clutch elements, one of said clutch elements being also threaded internally to correspond to the external thread of the other clutch element.

10. In a driving mechanism, the combination with driving and driven members of a pair of coaxially disposed clutch elements either of which is engageable with said driven member, and means for selectively shifting said clutch elemerits in accordance with the dir'ectionof rotation of said driving member, said last named means comprising cooperating threads of opposite inclinations formed on the peripheral surfaces of said clutch elements, one of said clutch elements being also threaded internally to correspond to the external thread of the other clutch element, and a second internally threaded element surrounding the other of said clutch elements and cooperating with the thread thereon.

11. Engine starting mechanism comprising a pair of driving members having a common axis of rotation, means including a threaded portion of one of said driving members operative in response to rotation thereof in one direction to cause longitudinal movement thereof into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, and means including a second threaded portion on said first named driving member for moving the other of said driving members into engagement with said engine member in response to rotation of the starting mechanism in the opposite direction.

12. Driving mechanism comprising a pair of driving members having a common axis of rotation,means including a threaded portion of one of said driving members operative in response to rotation thereof in 'one direction to cause longitudinal movementthereof into engagement with a member to be driven, andmeans including a second threaded portion on said first named driving member engageable with the other of said driving members to move it into engagement with said driven member in response to rotation of said second named driving member in the opposite direction.

13. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with the driving and driven members of a pair of coaxially disposed clutch elements either of which is engageable with said driven member, means for rotating one of said clutch elements atsubstantially the same speed as that of said driving member to engage it with said driven member, and means for thereafter rotating said element at a speed substantially less than that of said power member to transmit a multiplied torque to said driven member.

l4. In apparatus as described, the combination with driving and driven members of a pair of clutch elements either of which is engageable with said driven member, means for rotating one of said clutch elements at substantially the same speed as that of said power member to engage it with said driven member, and means for thereafter rotating ,said element at a speed substantially less than that of said power member to transmita multiplied torque to said driven member, said last named means being operable through the other of said clutch elements.

15. In an engine starting mechanism of the type employing a power member in which energy may be developed for transmision to a member of the engine to be started to cause initial rotation thereof, the combination with said power member and engine member of a clutch element engageable with said engine member, and means for shifting said clutch element into engagement with said engine member comprising a member irictionally driven by said power member and drivably connected to said clutch element, said frictional connection being inoperative to rotate said clutch element following such engagement.

\ 16. The combination with driving and driven members of a pair of clutch elements either of which is engageable with said driven member, means including a gear train for drivably connecting said driving member with both said clutch elements, and frictionally driven means distinct from said gear train for shifting a predetermined-one of said clutch elements into engagement with said driven member.

17. In an engine starting mechanism of the type employing a power member in which energy may be developed for transmission to a member of the engine to be started to cause initial rotation thereof, the combination with said power member and engine member of a pair of clutch elements either of which is engageable with said engine member, means including a friction clutch for transmitting said energy to both said clutch elements, and means extending through said friction clutch for shifting a selected one of said clutch elements into engagement with said engine member.

18. In an engine starting mechanism of the type employing a power member in which energy may be developed for transmission to a member of the engine to be started to cause initial rotation thereof, the combination with said power member and engine member of a pair of clutch elements either .of which is engageable with said engine member, means rotatable at a speed less than that of said power member for transmitting said energy to said clutch elements, and means rotatable a; substantially the same speed as that of said power member for shifting one of said clutch elements into engagement with said e: gine member.

19. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with driving and driven elements of a pair of coaxially disposed clutch elements,

either of which is engageable with said driven member, yieldable friction means for rotating one of said clutch elements at substantially the same speed as that of said driving member to engage it with said driven member, and additional yieldable friction means for thereafter rotating said element at a speed substantially less than that of said power member to trans-. mit a multiplied torque to said driven member.

20. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with driving and driven members of a pair of coaxially disposed clutch elements either of which is engageable with said driven member, means including a friction clutch disposed adjacent one end of said driving member, for rotating one-of said clutch elements at substantially the same speed as that of said driving member to engage it with said driven member, and means including a second friction clutch for thereafter rotating said element at a speed substantially less than that of said power member to transmit a multiplied torque to said driven member.

21. In an engine starter, a high speed shaft, a low speed shaft having a threaded portion and an engine-engaging portion, gearing connecting said shafts to transmit cranking torque from said high speed shaft to the engine through the instrumentality of said low speed shaft when the latter is in engagement with an engine member, means coacting with said threaded portion for moving said low speed shaft into engagement with said engine member, and means for rotating said low speed shaft at a considerably multiplied speed during the engine-engaging movement.

22. In an engine starter, a high speed shaft, a low speed shaft having a threaded portion and an engine-engaging portion, gearing connecting said shafts to transmit cranking torque from said high speed shaft to the engine through the instrumentality of said low speed shaft when the latter is in engagement with an engine member, means coacting with said threaded portion for moving .said low speed shaft into engagement with said engine member, and means for rotating said low speed shaft at a considerably multiplied speed during the engine-engaging movement, said last named means including a friction clutch disposed adjacent one end of said high speed shaft and operatively connected with said low speed shaft.

23. In an engine starter, a high speed shaft, a low speed shaft having a threaded portion and an engine-engaging portion, gearing connecting said shafts to transmit cranking torque from said high speed shaft to the engine through the instrumentality of said low speed shaft when the latter is in engagement with an engine member, means coacting with said threaded portion for moving said low speed shaft into engagement with said engine member, means for rotating said low speed shaft at a considerably multiplied speed during the engine-engaging movement, said' last named means including a friction clutch disposed adjacent one end of said high speed shaft and operatively connected with said low speed shaft, and means responsive to the engaging movement of said low speed shaft to reduce the engaging pressure upon said friction clutch.

ROMEO M. NARDONE. 

